Laser Resurfacing – Which System is Best for You?

December 8, 2014

There are many different skin laser systems used by cosmetic physicians to improve the appearance of the skin. Some target conditions like broken capillaries or brown spots specifically, while others work more generally causing new skin to replace damaged skin, the so-called “resurfacing” lasers.

Which is better?

It’s not really a case of better, but rather, “better suited”. Choosing the best laser for your skin depends on considerations such as which skin concern is being treated, your age, skin colour, budget, and how much downtime you can tolerate.

In this article we’ll take a look at resurfacing lasers.

In the past, resurfacing lasers were reserved for those with extensive sun damage and wrinkles. However in the last decade, the development of fractionated resurfacing lasers has been revolutionary in making skin resurfacing more gentle and effective for patients with a variety of skin concerns.

What is fractionated resurfacing? Rather than simply removing a thin layer of skin from the surface, fractionated resurfacing treats deep beneath the skin in a pixilated manner, like aerating a lawn, allowing the laser energy to safely penetrate deeper into the skin while preserving more healing capacity for a faster recovery. It’s a “win-win” in that laser resurfacing treatments are now more effective than ever, with much shorter healing times, in many cases as short as a few days.

With resurfacing laser treatments the old, damaged skin is replaced with new skin, so it comes as no surprise that the treatment results in skin that is smoother, tighter and more evenly toned. Because the density and depth of the treatment can be tailored to each patient, laser resurfacing can be performed for a wide variety of skin concerns, with more flexibility and control of downtime. Most commonly, laser resurfacing is used to treat sun damaged or wrinkled skin, acne scars, and some pigmentation irregularities. The patient in the photograph was treated with a single combination treatment of fractionated CO2 laser resurfacing and injectable filler at MD ESTHETICS.

A qualified, experienced cosmetic physician can help you determine which type of treatment is best for you.